Wife carrying makes its mark in Australia

WIFE-carrying may look like a throwback to those Neanderthal times but don't be mistaken: one NSW town is busy making its mark in this quirky international sport.

By Jeanti St Clair, Travel Editor

October 23, 20095:42pm

WIFE-carrying may look like a throwback to those Neanderthal times when picking up a woman was simply a matter of tossing her over your shoulder and running off with her.

But don't be mistaken: this is a fiercely competitive formal sport and Australia is busy making its mark in the international arena.

Twenty-five teams are expected at the starting line for the fourth Australian Wife Carrying Championships, to be held at the annual Countryfest on Saturday April 12 in Singleton, NSW.

Last year's Australian champions – Anthony Partridge and Angela Moore – went on to come fifth at the world championships in Finland. Of the 13 countries vying for the world title, Australia came third behind the "real pros", the Estonians and Finns.

Wife-carrying is what it says it is: the man carries a woman - preferably his wife - over a 250m obstacle course that includes hurdles, limbo bars, a water course and a sand trap.

The sport demands equal measures of humour and fortitude and, although not essential, the Wife Carrying World Championships organising body recommends carrying your own wife.

"Generally the best wife is the wife of one's own, all the more if she is harmonious, gentle and able to keep her balance while riding on the shoulders of her man," according to its website guidelines.

However, Australian champ Anthony Partridge is quick to admit that his team partner Angela Moore is not actually his wife.

"Not many of the competitors are actually husband-and-wife couples," he said. "Angela's just a friend. It doesn't have to your wife. It can be your friend or anything so long as it is a female that you are carrying."

"In fact, I originally only got involved when a mate of mine – Angela's husband – rolled his ankle in football training and couldn't compete."

According to international competition rules, the "wife" must weigh at least 49kg. If she weighs less, the wife will be burdened with a heavy rucksack to bring the weight up to the competition minimum.

The World Championship organisers recommend a training routine that involves carrying your wife as part of "daily routines: in the bath, in the supermarket, in the playground or in the body building centre".

But Partridge, who plays first grade rugby for the Singleton Bulls, said football training twice a week is a good substitute.

And while strength might seem to be the clincher here, Partridge adds that successful wife carrying lies in the technique.

Over the sixteen years of competition, four styles of wife-carrying have emerged with the "Estonian" technique nominated by Anthony Partridge as the most effective.

"Forget the piggy back, it's just hard work – and the fireman's carry is murder."

To pull off an effective Estonian carry, Partridge recommends:

The husband and wife stand face to face The husband then bends down and put his head between her legs He lifts her up so her body is laying down his back. The wife's legs should hang over the husband's shoulders Her buttocks should now point to the heavens The wife's thighs then grip the husband's head.

"The girls that are flexible enough can reach through to hold the back of their own knees, so that way they become attached like a backpack," Partridge said.

While the Estonian is "not particularly flattering" for the wife, it allows the husband to concentrate on the course, rather than the carry.

The reigning Australian champions are not competing in the Australian Championships this year. Partridge own wife is pregnant so a return trip to Finland is out of the question.

That leaves the door open to some fresh competition and possibly some new, and more refined, wife carrying techniques.

Anthony will do a special exhibition performance carrying former Olympic swimming champion Giann Rooney. Good thing she can swim.

Last year in Finland, Partridge practically swam the water section of the course, much to the surprise of "wife" Angela.

Partridge laughed: "I pretty well dove in and came out the other end. Angela said to me after that race, 'I wish I have known I was going to get wet'."

This year's Wife Carrying World Championships will be held in Sonkajarva, Finland from July 4 - 6.